Lisadelpit

““The Silenced Dialogue: The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Power and Pedagogy in

Educating Other People’s Educating Other People’s Children”Children”

• Summary and Response to Lisa Delpit’s article by Amanda Rochwick

From From Other People’s Children: Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Cultural Conflict in the

ClassroomClassroom

• What must be done to help teachers and students better understand each other?

• How can we stop training teachers to expect less of certain children?

But first, a little about But first, a little about Ms. Lisa Delpit…Ms. Lisa Delpit…

• holds the Benjamin E. Mays Chair of Urban Educational Leadership at GSU

• questions the validity of popular teaching strategies for African American students

• wants educators to recognize, acknowledge, and value the cultural strengths that a child brings to school

I went to Harvard!

The “Silenced Dialogue” -- The “Silenced Dialogue” -- What is it?What is it?

Silence occurs when nonwhite teachers are “left out of the dialogue about how best to educate children of color” (23).

Illustrations of the silence:

• Native Alaskan quote

• Black educator quote

Where is the Dialogue Where is the Dialogue Silenced?Silenced?

• Skills-oriented approach vs. process-oriented approach

• Writing process advocates dismiss teachers of color as “too skills oriented” which leads to feelings of estrangement (23).

How can such complete communication blocks exist

when both parties truly believe they have the same

aims?

How can the bitterness and resentment expressed by the educators of color be drained so that the sores can heal?

What can be done?

The Essential The Essential Questions:Questions:

Ms. Delpit’s thinking:Ms. Delpit’s thinking:

“The differing perspectives on the debate over ‘skills’ versus ‘process’ approaches can lead to an understanding of the alienation and miscommunication, and thereby to an understanding of the ‘silenced dialogue’” (24).

The Culture of PowerThe Culture of Power

Lisa Delpit claims that aspects of power have created the schism between liberal educational movements and that of non-white, non-middle-class teachers and communities.


There are Five aspects of Power:

1. Issues of power are enacted in classrooms.

Ex. Power of teacher over students, power of publishers of textbooks,

etc.


2. There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a ‘culture of power.’”

Ex. Linguistic forms, communicative strategies -- ways of talking, ways of writing,

etc.


3. The rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those

who have power.

Therefore, success in school is predicated upon acquisition of those who are in

power.


4. If you are not already a participant in the culture of power,

being told explicitly the rules of that culture makes acquiring power

easier.

Think about going to a new place: Wouldn’t you like to be directly informed about the culture?


5. Those with power are frequently least aware of -- or least willing to acknowledge -- its existence. Those

with less power are often most aware of its existence.

Statements from the Statements from the Culture of PowerCulture of Power

Statement Made Differing Perspective“I want the same thing for everyoneelse’s children as I want for mine”

Parents outside of the culture ofpower often want something else:“My kids know how to be black – youall teach them how to be successful in

the white man’s world.”

“Child-centered, whole language,and process approached are neededin order to allow a democratic state

of free, empowered adults, andbecause research has shown thatchildren learn best through these

methods”

Teachers do students no service tosuggest that product is not

important. They will be judged ontheir product, regardless the

process, in life.

Statements from the Statements from the Culture of PowerCulture of Power

Statement Made Differing Perspectives

“Children have the right to theirown language, their own culture.We must fight cultural hegemony

and fight the system by insisting thatchildren be allowed to express

themselves in their own languagestyle”

We must accept students but alsotake responsibility to teach them.

Tell students that their language andcultural style is unique andwonderful but that there is a

political power game in America –they have to access the power codes.

“It’s really a shame that she seemsto be so authoritarian, so focusedon skills and so teacher directed.Those poor kids never seem to be

allowed to really express theircreativity”

Different cultures address each otherin different styles. Take ShirleyBrice Heath’s study, “What no

bedtime story means” for example.We can’t judge one culture by the

values of our own.

What we can learn:What we can learn:

• Teach the codes of power so students can participate in mainstream American life.

• Consult with adults who share your students culture to find the best ways to teach them.

• Understand the need for both “skills-oriented” and “process-oriented” approaches.

• Communicate across cultures, and listen to alternative points of view...

BUT...

“To do so takes a special kind of listening, listening that requires

not only open eyes and ears, but open hearts and minds. We do not really see through out

eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs” (46).

Images for My Presentation:Images for My Presentation:

All images for this PowerPoint Presentation were found at the following websites:

•Letters to the Next President

•Voices from the Field

•FIU’s Center for Urban Education

•Meet the Commissioners

•Other People’s Children

A Chart for EDIT 6150:A Chart for EDIT 6150:

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PowerPoint Tip:PowerPoint Tip:

To get the best black and white hardcopy from PowerPoint. From the “view” menu choose “black and white.” To alter the way any object will print, right-click on that object, and then choose the appropriate option, like “Black with White Fill.” Now, you don’t have to save two versions of a presentation (one for black and white and one for color).